Heiko Maas told DW Espanol that Germany is determined to strengthen cooperation with Latin American countries.

"Latin America is a natural ally for us — especially these days, where we're seeing the global order increasingly under pressure," he told DW's Spanish-language service in a statement.

"In future, we want to work more closely with our partners in Latin America — for example on climate policy, security and the rule of law," he went on to say.

Maas said the upcoming Latin America conference, which is to be held in Berlin from May 28 to 29, serves to kick off the German Foreign Ministry's Latin America and the Caribbean initiative.

"Together, in Europe and Latin America, we're not just 62 countries, we're also more than 1 billion people. If we deepen ties and sing from the same songsheet, we can bring great international clout to the table," he said.

Together, we can stand up for more democracy, human rights and fair rules," he added.

Maas made his first visit to the region as foreign minister at the end of April, visiting Mexico, Colombia and Brazil.

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